"Nichte" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Nichten. In English, Nichte means "niece". The male counterpart is der Neffe (nephew).
Gender rule: Female persons are generally feminine in German. "Nichte" also ends in -e, which is a common feminine tendency. Unlike der Neffe (which follows the N-Deklination), "Nichte" declines regularly — no surprises. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
"Die Nichte" is family vocabulary at A2 level — it describes the daughter of your brother or sister. The grammar is straightforward: feminine gender, regular declension, simple -n plural. An interesting contrast to her male counterpart der Neffe, which follows the tricky N-Deklination. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Nichte — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Nichte | die Nichten |
| Genitive | der Nichte | der Nichten |
| Dative | der Nichte | den Nichten |
| Accusative | die Nichte | die Nichten |
Example Sentences with Nichte
Die Nichte feiert nächste Woche ihren Geburtstag.
(The niece is celebrating her birthday next week.) — Nominative
Ich bringe die Nichte nach der Schule nach Hause.
(I'm bringing the niece home after school.) — Accusative
Der Onkel liest der Nichte eine Gute-Nacht-Geschichte vor.
(The uncle reads the niece a bedtime story.) — Dative
Das Lieblingsspielzeug der Nichte ist ein Teddy.
(The niece's favorite toy is a teddy bear.) — Genitive
Die Nichten kommen jedes Jahr im Sommer zu Besuch.
(The nieces come to visit every year in summer.) — Nominative Plural
Die Tante hat den Nichten neue Kleider gekauft.
(The aunt bought the nieces new dresses.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Neffe (nephew), der Onkel (uncle), die Tante (aunt), die Tochter (daughter), der Sohn (son)
Related expressions (Verwandte Ausdrücke): die Nichte zweiten Grades (second niece — formal term for cousin's daughter)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Großnichte (great-niece)
Common Mistake with Nichte
❌ Common mistake: Ich gebe die Nichte ein Geschenk.
✅ Correct: Ich gebe der Nichte ein Geschenk.
💡 Why: Feminine nouns use der (not "die") in the dative: der Nichte. "Den" is the masculine accusative or dative plural article. Compare: dem Neffen (masculine dative) vs. der Nichte (feminine dative).
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Das Zimmer ___ Nichte ist rosa gestrichen.
- A) des Nichte
- B) der Nichte
- C) die Nichte
Check Answer
The genitive shows possession (whose room?). Feminine genitive = der: der Nichte. Feminine nouns never use "des" — that's only for masculine and neuter (des Neffen, des Kindes).
2. Wir holen ___ Nichte vom Bahnhof ab.
- A) die Nichte
- B) der Nichte
- C) den Nichte
Check Answer
"Abholen" takes an accusative object (whom?). Feminine accusative = die, same as the nominative. The noun doesn't change: die Nichte.
3. Die lieb___ Nichte hilft im Haushalt.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After a definite article in the nominative singular, the adjective ending is -e for all genders: die liebe Nichte, der nette Mann, das kleine Kind.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and common feminine nouns.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Neffe — the nephew
- der Onkel — the uncle
- die Tante — the aunt
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- die Tochter — the daughter
- der Sohn — the son
- die Familie — the family
For more vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Nichte? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and common feminine nouns. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nichte masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Nichte is feminine — the correct article is die. Female persons are generally feminine in German, and the -e ending is also a common feminine indicator. Unlike her male counterpart der Neffe (which follows the N-Deklination), "Nichte" declines regularly. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Nichte?
The plural is die Nichten — simply add -n. This is the standard plural for feminine nouns ending in -e: die Nichte → die Nichten, die Tante → die Tanten, die Lampe → die Lampen.
What is the difference between Nichte and Neffe?
Die Nichte means "niece" (your sibling's daughter) and der Neffe means "nephew" (your sibling's son). They are the female and male counterparts. An important grammatical difference: Neffe follows the N-Deklination (den Neffen, dem Neffen, des Neffen), while Nichte declines regularly as a feminine noun (die Nichte, der Nichte).
How do you say great-niece in German?
"Great-niece" is die Großnichte — a compound of groß (great/big) + Nichte (niece). It's feminine because the last word, Nichte, is feminine. The male equivalent is der Großneffe (great-nephew). This Groß- prefix works the same way as in die Großmutter (grandmother) and der Großvater (grandfather).
